Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-10-28
SPEECH OF Hon. PHILIP D. LAIRD,
At Democratic Mass Meeting IN Baga-
more on Monday night last.

My Fett0lo Citizens: was asked the Other
day, "How can you, having participated in
the Oraterio Hall meeting last January
speak for the Regular Democratic candi-
dates ?" reply that am here because l
was at Oraterio Hall. That meeting pro-
posed to make its fight within the party, and
l venture TO think that the seeds sown there
have borne fruit. Like all movements in
the interest of reform it has given rise to
some bitterness. Some have gone to ex-
tremes; others, disappointed that they could
not at one leap reach the goal, have become
indifferent, but the bulk of those who met
there are content to bide their time, in the
firm faith that the sterling honesty of the
party will assert itself, and that all the bes-
sings of good government will be attained
by the administration OF the laws upon
Democratic principles.
l wish to say at the outset that have not
come here to abuse anybody The cause
which has vituperation for its only weapon,
which can only be made interesting by the
flash of sarcasm or the piquancy of INJECT
i've, does not commend itself to the support
of conscientious and thoughtful citizens
In my judgment, the use Of these instru-
ments In political warfare is the cause of
very much Of that deplorable Indifference to
public affairs exhibited by so many men of
character and ability, whose influence, pro-
perly eXerted, would tend to elevate the
standard of citizenship and enlarge the be-
neficence cfrepublican institutions. Politics,
my friends, is no more and no less than the
public business. 1t interests US all so i'm.
mediately each step in its. development is
so far reaching and enduring, and the cease
less eddving of the currents of thought
brings us side by side with so many of those
who but yesterday were far away, that am
more and more convinced at each recurring
campaign of the uselessness and folly of
saying bitter things. They always rebound
upon US to our injury and modification;
they unduly magnify men for the moment
they eclipse all thought OF the public veal
by exciting angry passions; they are con-
slant and contemplate menace to those en-
during principles upon which alone the peo-
pie can rely with safety. Earnestly believ-
ing this, should be false TO myself and
false to the people if added one word to
the too many already spoken which will
produce burning memories and senseless an
imosities throughout more than one lifetime.
prefer to think that those who differ with
me are as honest in their beliefs as try to
be, and mean right in all they seek to ac-
complish. Thinking of it in this way, we
shall find that there are real and substantial
issues in this campaign, which we cannot
overlook without injury to the State, and
which no amount of rodomontade can hide
from those who have its permanent welfare
at heart
1t is disingenuous, to say the least of it, in
our Republican friends to contend that there
is but single issue in this campaign--that
OF fair electionS-and at the same time to
reafflrm as the groundwork of their political
action every principle which has guided the
Republican party from its birth, and to
which annually for twenty years Maryland
has given an invariable and emphatic pro.
test. If there were but the one issue, why
was it necessary to "renew their allegiance
to the fundamental principles of their party
as expressed by their several national con-
ventions p Or 10 declare in favor of the
Blair educational bill Or to criticse Pres
ident Cleveland? If only questions Of State
policy are to be considered, why direct our
attention to the questions OF Federal policy?
The fact of the business is that the two
cannot be wholly separated. 1t may be the
fault Of our Federal system, but it is impos-
sible, under existing conditions, to escape
the influence OF national affairs whenever
We are called upon TO hold an election Men
may deny that II is 50, but the all. pervading
presence of Federal questions is there as an
active, potential agent in determining the
views and directing the action of the cleo
tors. With very few it may be otherwise.
| speak of the masses. These large, gen
eral questions force themselves upon us at
every turn; the daily press Of the country
is full of them, and it is impracticable to at
tempt any local political movement without
creating surmise as to its effect upon the
rop Of ha atr,t ~ 4 fr,,r
will always be made to use such movements
for the accomplishment Of some purpose af-
fecting national concerns At this very
momentthe political battle now being waged
in Maryland is the theme of editorial writers
and special correspondents all over the land;
and while our home Republicans contend
that its result will have no effect upon the
next presidential contest, their allies outside
the State are urging the election Of Mr..
Brooks upon the ground that it will place
Maryland in the list Of doubtful States, and
give their party probable foothOld south of
Mason and Dixon's line. That possibility is
also influencing thousands of men within
the State who would be dumb and inactive
otherwise, and is the real secret, the pruri
ent motive of the marvellous activity which
we now witness in the ranks Of the Repub
lcan party of Maryland. And the leaders
of the Republican party know perfectly well
that if they obtain control of the State of
Maryland they will employ every energy
they possess and every instrument known
to politics to cast the electoral vote of the
State for the Republican presidential candi-
date in 1888. They have made the effort to
do that, in the face of overwhe ming odds,
from the days Of Lincoln down 10 those Of
Cleveland. d. you think they would be
less active in the possession Of the patron
age and the election machinery Of the StateY
Would not these be used TO secure the tri
umphant establishment o" the fundamental
principles Of their party as expressed by
their several national conventions? -to ad
vance all those centraiziGg tendencies which
have wrought 80 much evil and SO much
wrong, and which lind their most offensive
expression in the Blair BILL which Maryland
Republicans eulogize? Maryland Repub-
licans believe in these things, and find no
fault with them for the honest declaration
of their political faith. But Maryland Dem.
ocrats do not believe in them. "'rhe only
security lies in general principles" and /
cannot understand how any man calling
himself Democrat can contribute 10 the
establishment OF principles To which lac does
not assent, and which he believes TO be sub
versive Of constitutional liberty and dan
gerous 10 the business interests OF the cOun
try. 1t will not do 10 say that you are fight
ing upon single local issue. Those with
whom you arc leagped are fighting for more
for things which you profess not 10 de-
sire. II they succeed through your assist
ance and wrong aud injury result. you can
not escape the responsibility nor consistent
ly murmur at the censure that awaits you.
You must know that under Mr.. Brooks the
administration Of the affairs of the State
would run along Republican lines and catch
its highest inspiration from the "days of
Thomas Holiday Hicks and Henry Winter
Davis"
Now, it is weakness and folly to ignore
the probable ultimate results Of political
movements He would be but sorry states.
man, a poor specimen Of a patriot who
thought enly Of the present nloment We
cannot, it is true, "be wise for all Time" but
men trained in political thought, familiar
with the history of political development,
can tell with reasonable certainty the out
come of the application Of given principles
TO the administration of public affairs, and
it should not be difficult Tor US at this day,
in the full light of the recent experience Of
sister States, to foretell the results Of Re
publican ascendency in Maryland. Those
results might not follow in day; Mr.